Contact-tip for contact-fingers for electrical controllers and switches



C. THOMPSON. CONTACT TIP FOR CONTACT FINGERS FOR ELECTRLCAL CONTROLLERS AND SWITCHES.- APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 27, 1919.

1,330,561 Patented Feb.'10,l920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES THOMPSON, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

CONTACT-TIP FOR CONTAGT-FINGEBfS FOR ELECTRICAL CONTROLLERS AND SWITCHES Application filed September 27, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES Tirol/ reon, a subject of the King of Great Britain, of

the city of Toronto, county of York, Provvide a contact tip which can be much more accurately and cheaply manufactured than the contact tips with which I am acquainted, so that there will be no possibility of it being impossible to lock the tip to the end of the contact finger. Another object of my invention is to improve the manufacture of this type of tip so that there will be no possibility of the sides of the slot therein being bent or distorted so as to prevent the ready placing of the tip on the contact fin- In the following specification, I shall describe two embodiments of my invention, and what I claim as new will be pointed out in the claims forming part of this specification.

Figure 1 shows an end elevation of my contact tip showing the same coupled to one end of a contact finger. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, except that certain portions of the contact tip have been removed so as to show the manner in which the con tact tip is locked to the end of the contact finger. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through my preferred form of contact tip, and Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section through a modified form of my contact ti In the drawings, like characters of reference refer to the same parts.

My contact tip comprises a plurality of plates, and in the preferred form each of these plates is stamped from metal of the desired gage, at which time the housing slot for the end of the contact fingers is formed, as well as one or more notches, and holes through which the fastening means is passed to hold said plates together. S1nce each of the said plates is stamped by a die, it will be understood that there will be no variation in the distance of the outer edge Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

Serial No. 326,807.,

of each notch from the outer edge of each flange, and as the receiving slot in each plate will be of the desired depth, each tip will be positively locked to the end of the contact finger. Enough has been clearly shown to support the statement that there will be no culls in the manufacture of my contact tip, and consequently I obtain a great saving in cost of manufacture.

Furthermore, since each plate will be stamped by a die, the operations necessary to manufacture the old type of tip, are not necessary. I

By reason of the accuracy with which my contact tip can be made there will be very little, if any, movement of the contact tip on its finger.

t will, of course, be understood that my contact tip may be made of any desired shape of form, and although I show the same in both forms provided with two recesses or pockets, it will be understood that it may be made with only one recess or pocket.

The width of the contact tip may vary as desired, and it will be understood that according to my invention said contact tip may be made with one operation from sheet metal which is not too thick. In that case, there will be no necessity to stamp the holes for the fastening means hereinafter referred to specifically, which holds the vari ousplates together in the preferred form of tip.

When the contact tip is composed of a plurality of plates, in order to secure them together in accurate relationship, they may be mounted in a suitable hinged form, and then the fastenin made of a plurality of plates B and B Each of these plates is formed by a die, at which time the open slot C is formed therein as well as the holes E. The plates B are provided with the notches D, when the means positioned and secured in place wliile the plates are so held.

open slot C is formed therein, and when these plates B are properly assembled, the said notches form a common recess or pocket D (see Fig. 3). Through the holes E are passed suitable fastening means such as rivets F, and the same are headed up after any suitable manner.

The manner of making each of the said plates B and B absolutely insures that each open slot G will aline with the other open slots, thus forming a common open slot C which receives the head G of the contact finger H. The lip I of said contact finger is provided with a lug J which is substantially of the same size as the recess or pocket 1).

The head of the contact finger 4. is the gage for the tip, and, therefore, it will be understood that the distance of the edge 2 of the pocket D from the end 8 of the slot C Will be substantially the same or Very slightly more than the distance from the face 3 of the lug J and the extreme end 9 of the head G, so that when the said tip is placed on said head, the lug J in due course will snap into its corresponding recess.

Because of the manner in which my contact tip is made, the flanges 4L are nnich thicker than. the flanges of the old type of contact tip, and consequently by reason of the disposition of the width of the plates B and B, which is substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the tip, there will be no possibility of the said flange being bent so as to distort the common slot C.

in Fig. l, the plates B are shown as clamped between two outer plates 7 and these said outer plates are much thicker than the said plates B- What I claim is,

1. As a new article of manufacture, a contact tip comprising a plurality of stamped plates in each of which is stamped an open slot, which, when said plates are assembled, form a common open slot; certain of said plates being provided at the same time when said open slots are formed therein with a notch, which when said certain plates are assembled form a common recess, and means whereby said plates are secured together.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a tip made 01" a plurality of stamped open slotted plates, certain of the interior plates only being each rovided with a notch which form a common recess when said plates are assembled, and means for securing said plates together.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a tip made oi. a plurality of stamped open slotted plates, certain 01" said plates being adapted to interlock with the head of a contact finger which is embraced by said slotted plates, and means for securing said plates together.

CHARLES THOMPSON. 

